Today’s News - Thursday, August 20, 2020

EDITOR'S NOTE: Tomorrow and Monday will be no-newsletter days - we'll be back Tuesday, August 25. In the meantime: Stay well. Stay safe.

●  ANN feature: Mary Ann Lazarus & Joyce Lee explain why they and a group of industry leaders launched a petition to the World Health Organization to work with built environment experts to develop much-needed indoor environment guidance that is currently hard to find, contradictory, and minimal at best.

●  KPF's Hana Kassem & Parsons' Healthy Materials Lab's Jonsara Ruth delve into "designing for equity and well-being in the COVID-19 Era. It is the responsibility of the designer and architect to understand the impact of our immediate surroundings on our cognitive, physical, and emotional well-being" (especially for "historically underserved" communities).

●  ThinkLab's Amanda Schneider parses new research that "highlights the need to balance the emotional and physical needs of all employees, whether they work in the office or remotely" - and talks to designers "to develop a list of best practices and create a road map" for "an eventual shift back to the shared office."

●  Mehaffy & Salingaros use "The Babushkas of Chernobyl," a "remarkable film" that follows the "elderly women who illegally returned to their houses after the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster," to "raise important questions about health and the power of place - relevant in the current pandemic - we need to broaden our architectural thinking."

●  Fred A. Bernstein visits Gehry's controversial Eisenhower Memorial: Its scale "is staggering," but "in a neighborhood of overbearing bureaucratic architecture, Gehry's handiwork is gentle and unobtrusive" and "should win over even his most hardened critics. Especially if they visit at night."

●  A look at how NEXT architects and team "combine Chinese and Dutch cultures" to transform one of 102 abandoned villages in China's Jiangxi Province into "a unique art village" that "becomes an interactive environment constantly able to re-invent itself."

●  Kamin cheers "an architecturally arresting pot shop" in Skokie, Illinois: "To say that the cannabis dispensary is startling would be an understatement. The exuberant design is even more startling when you realize that this is not a new building, but the renovation of a former bank branch - it's a head-turner."

●  Sheri Koones' Q&A with Trey Trahan: "I was interested in his work because of his commitment to altering thoughts about architecture to meet the current crises plaguing" the world.

●  Gregory Wessner is leaving Open House New York to be executive director at National Academy of Design, where he "will help shape and implement new forms of service to artists and architects and reimagine cultural advocacy for the 21st century."

●  The National September 11 Memorial & Museum "reverses decision to scrap this year's 'Tribute in Light'" - it "will indeed grace the night sky over Lower Manhattan next month as was originally planned."

●  One we couldn't resist: "Here's what four iconic NYC landmarks could have looked like: These crazy construction plans never saw the light of day."

Weekend diversions + Page-turners:

●  Wainwright "goes behind the scenes at architecture's Antepavilion prize" - and meets "SHARKS!" by architect Jaimie Shorten - his "five man-eaters will blow bubbles, sing songs and deliver lectures about urbanism - if the council doesn't confiscate the fearsome creatures first."

●  Marianela D'Aprile visits "Edith Farnsworth Reconsidered" at her Mies-designed Farnsworth House that "attempts to fill the gaps in her story. One can almost feel her struggling to be human - of wanting to reclaim her identity as a self-possessed, highly respected professional woman. Well, of course she was."

●  Michelle Young brings us "#IfThenSheCan - The Exhibit" that has popped up in NYC's Central Park Zoo, and "shows six of the future 122 female statues that will be on display showcasing contemporary women in STEM careers."

●  Betsky cheers Terreform ONE's monograph, "Design with Life: Biotech Architecture and Resilient Cities" - despite its limitations, it "made me smile and hope - if architecture is going to help save our planet, I hope it does so with forms as beautiful as" these.

●  Emily Anthes offers an excerpt from her "The Great Indoors: The Surprising Science of How Buildings Shape Our Behavior, Health, and Happiness": "Thousands of studies have now made it abundantly clear: Good design is powerful medicine."

●  "MPavilion: Encounters with Design and Architecture" features essays by the star-studded participating architects, and "aims to open up a broader conversation about cities, pavilions, parks and public spaces today, and their role in creating healthier places to live and work."

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To subscribe to the free daily newsletter click here ANN feature: Mary Ann Lazarus & Joyce Lee: The Role of Buildings in Combating COVID-19: As information on how to address the potential spread of COVID-19 via airborne aerosol emissions is hard to find, contradictory, and minimal at best, a group of industry leaders launch a petition to the World Health Organization to work with built environment experts to develop much-needed indoor environment guidance.- ArchNewsNow.com Designing for Equity and Well-Being in the COVID-19 Era: Hana Kassem, principal at KPF, and Jonsara Ruth, co-founder of Parsons’ Healthy Materials Lab, outline the effects of the built environment on our well-being: ...pandemic has clearly highlighted the importance of healthy interior environments for all, especially low-income Black and Latinx communities that have been historically underserved...It is the responsibility of the designer and architect to understand the impact of our immediate surroundings on our cognitive, physical, and emotional well-being...Most importantly, these services should be provided regardless of budget constraints and the economic status of the stakeholders. -- Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates- Metropolis Magazine Amanda Schneider: Maintaining Work-Life Balance During and After a Pandemic: New research from ThinkLab highlights the need to balance the emotional and physical needs of all employees, whether they work in the office or remotely: ...a disproportionate number of young people report struggling with the transition...ThinkLab sat down with members of the design community to develop a list of best practices and create a road map that also takes into account an eventual shift back to the shared office. -- Eric Yorath/Figure3; Christina Brown/Eastlake Studio; Sarah Kuchar- Metropolis Magazine Michael W. Mehaffy & Nikos A. Salingaros: The Chernobyl Paradox: The Intense Connection Between Health and Living Structure: A remarkable film, "The Babushkas of Chernobyl," raises important questions about health and the power of place: ...follows a group of elderly women who illegally returned to their houses shortly after the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Surprisingly...[they] seemed to enjoy better health compared with their peers...relocated to other environments...the complexity of our environments plays a much larger role than is usually recognized...urges an important new study that would prove to what extent the environment is capable of overriding external impacts, some as toxic as radiation...Biophilia and design patterns together promote a healing environment...If we want to create healthier environments...we need to broaden our architectural thinking.- Common Edge Fred A. Bernstein: A First Glimpse of Frank Gehry's Eisenhower Memorial: [He] visits the controversial project and finds that the architect managed to rise above his critics: The scale of the memorial...designed...in partnership with AECOM, is staggering...when the sun goes down, [it] comes alive. Thanks to the lighting scheme by...L’Observatoire International...in a neighborhood of overbearing bureaucratic architecture, Gehry's handiwork is gentle and unobtrusive...four-acre site... feels more like a park than a memorial...I still don’t know if the memorial was necessary. But Gehry’s design should win over even his most hardened critics. Especially if they visit at night. -- Roger Courtenay; Sergey Eylanbekov- Architect Magazine NEXT architects combine Chinese and Dutch cultures to create unique art village: ...together with IVEM (Dutch Institute for heritage and marketing), Smartland Architects...Total Design (graphic design) and numerous artists were asked by the Government of Jinxi, Jiangxi Province to develop...for one of its 102 abandoned villages, Dafang...designed a flexible and attractive environment for Chinese and Dutch artists to work...The whole village, including its architecture and landscape, becomes an interactive environment constantly able to re-invent itself.- World Architecture News (UK) Blair Kamin: In Skokie, an architecturally arresting pot shop reveals how marijuana has gone mainstream: To say that the soon-to-open Greenhouse cannabis dispensary...is startling would be an understatement. Amid the banality of a suburban commercial strip...a bright white, pleated facade sweeps across the building’s front like a rising theater curtain. The exuberant design is even more startling when you realize that this is not a new building, but the renovation of...a former [bank] branch...It’s no masterpiece, but its energy and presence are undeniable...it’s a head-turner... -- Peter Theodore/Stephen Coorlas/CT architects- Chicago Tribune Sheri Koones: Interview With Trahan Architects - Named #1 Design Firm By AIA Architect Magazine: I had the opportunity to interview Trey Trahan...I was interested in his work because of his commitment to altering thoughts about architecture to meet the current crisis’ plaguing this country [and] around the world...How do you see architecture evolving in general in the next several years? "The private domain is going to become more and more important...modes of transportation are going to be seriously affected, evaluated and re-thought."- Forbes Kara Mavros: National Academy of Design Names Gregory Wessner New Executive Director: ...[he] spent over two decades with the Architectural League of New York before becoming executive director of Open House New York in 2013...In this new role, Wessner will help shape and implement new forms of service to artists and architects and reimagine cultural advocacy for the 21st century.- Architectural Record 9/11 Museum reverses decision to scrap this year’s "Tribute in Light": The National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City submitted an abrupt about-face...[it] will indeed grace the night sky over Lower Manhattan next month as was originally planned. Just two days earlier, the museum had announced it would cancel this year’s staging...due to, no surprise, the coronavirus crisis...New York State will provide health personnel & supervision...- The Architect's Newspaper Here’s what four iconic NYC landmarks could have looked like: These crazy construction plans never saw the light of day: Midtown Manhattan Airport on Manhattan's west side; Civic centers on Roosevelt Island - Thomas J. George, 1902; A massive George Washington monument at Union Square - Calvin Pollard, 1800s; Totem-style tower in Times Square - George Ranalli, 1984- Time Out New York Oliver Wainwright: Sharks! Why are five man-eaters being unleashed into a popular canal? They’ll blow bubbles, sing songs and deliver lectures about urbanism. Our writer goes behind the scenes at architecture’s Antepavilion prize - and finds out why this year’s winning entry has bite: ...latest iteration of the Antepavilion, an annual commission organised by Russell Gray’s company, Shiva, in collaboration with the Architecture Foundation. That’s if the council doesn’t confiscate the fearsome creatures first..."SHARKS!" is by Jaimie Shorten, a Hackney-based architect more used to designing residential schemes than great whites. Gray has a long record of baiting the authorities.- Guardian (UK) Marianela D'Aprile: The Farnsworth House gets period decor in an effort to shine light on its mysterious owner: The inner life of Edith Farnsworth remains something of a mystery...eclipsed by two names - her own (surname) and that of...Mies van der Rohe. "Edith Farnsworth Reconsidered" staged inside Edith’s eponymous, Mies-designed house in Plano, Illinois, attempts to fill the gaps in her story...One can almost feel her struggling to be human...exhibit exudes a sense of wanting to reclaim her identity as a self-possessed, highly respected professional woman...Well, of course she was... -- Peter Palumbo; National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP)- The Architect's Newspaper Michelle Young: All-Female Statues in "#IfThenSheCan - The Exhibit" Pops Up in Central Park Zoo: Timed with the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, which guaranteed women the right to vote...shows six of the future 122 female statues that will be on display showcasing contemporary women in STEM careers...it will constitute the most women statues ever assembled in one location, at one time...Stay tuned as we share with you the unveiling of the Women’s Rights Pioneers Monument in Central Park week! -- Lyda Hill Philanthropies IF/THEN Initiative- Untapped Cities Aaron Betsky: Terreform ONE and the Quest for a New Garden of Eden: the firm's monograph, "Design with Life: Biotech Architecture and Resilient Cities," a study in how architecture can help save the planet: ...no firm working today is better at pushing [the] convergence of natural and technological processes...Mitchell Joachim and Maria Aiolova collect their projects from the last two decades and shows the full breadth - but also the limitations - of that work...book’s limitation...it never develops an argument beyond its fairly straightforward premise...[it] made me smile and hope, that made me marvel at the inventiveness of the forms... if architecture is going to help save our planet, I hope it does so with forms as beautiful as those Joachim and Terreform ONE create.- Architect Magazine Emily Anthes: Architecture of Healing: Healing in the Hospital Starts With the Architect: When it comes to hospitals, the right design can speed up recovery - or slow it: Thousands of studies have now made it abundantly clear: Good design is powerful medicine...Roger Ulrich’s study, which was published in Science in 1984, is frequently cited as the beginning of a new era, the birth of what became known as evidence-based design.- Discover Magazine Melbourne’s MPavilion reflects upon its contribution to urban health: The annual temporary pavilion commissioned by the Naomi Milgrom Foundation has launched "MPavilion: Encounters with Design and Architecture," featuring essays by participating architects: [Pavilion] is a worthy example of the benefits that architecture can have on public spaces and the urban community...[brings] together stories about its social impact through images and essays by architects and writers...aims to open up a broader conversation about cities, pavilions, parks and public spaces today, and their role in creating healthier places to live and work. -- Amanda Levete; Bijoy Jain; Rem Koolhaas; Sean Godsell; David Gianotten; Carme Pinós; Glenn Murcutt- Wallpaper*

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